I made my first batch and I'm so happy!

[becka_pecka]

I can really see why this soap making is addictive!

I wrote in my intro why I wanted to start making soap (basically I have sensitive skin and my shop bought soap was making my skin worse, I bought a few handmade soap slices, which improved my skin dramatically, and decided to make my own)

I made my first batch last night and used lemongrass and sweet orange essential oils.

I will admit I was scared lol especially when it came to making my lye mixture and seeing the fumes (although I had my safety goggles and mask on) I panic at the simplest things.
I then melted my hard oils and stuck the thermometers in both lye & oils, luckily they were both around the same temperature and dropped in temp together.

I was also worried about not knowing when 'trace' was, but I used a hand blender and after about 15 minutes the mixture was leaving a trace on the surface.

I have just (after about 18 hours wrapped in towels) unmolded and sliced my soap... I was also brave enough to do the zap test, and there was no zap I've stood the slices up write on trays and covered with boxes that i've left a gap in and put a hole through to let the air circulate.

I'm ever so pleased with myself I need to borrow my sisters camera to post pics (although I'm sure to all you experienced soapers, mine will look very plain) but I think they're beautiful

 

[becka_pecka]

I thought it maybe helpful to post the recipe I used... I'm sure people here will tell me how good of a recipe it is. I did slice a small bit off, put some rubber gloves on, and tried the soap. It lathered nicely and made a fair amount of bubbles.

My recipe was:

500 grams (17.6oz) sunflower oil
395 grams (13.9oz) coconut oil
100 grams (3.5oz) shea butter
144 grams (5.09oz) lye
289 grams (10.19oz) water

And I added essential oils once trace occurred.

 

[Bama]

I felt the same way when i made my first batch. Love it, Love it , Love it. I want to make sooap every week but time just won't permit with my schedule. problaby a good thing

 

[MsDee]

Congrats. on your first batch You are so hooked now. Happy Soapmaking

 

[JackiK]

Woo-Hoo So glad your first attempt was successful. Some of us weren't that lucky :cry:

 

[Hazel]

Congratulations Rebecca!

Welcome to the addiction. Your recipe looks like it's going to be hard and with lots of bubbly lather. (I love bubbly lather!) You'll have to let us know how it feels after curing.

Please take this in the nicest way because I know how excited you are about your first batch. But I do have a concern that the soap might be too drying since the CO makes up almost 40% of your oils. On the other hand, it might be fine for your skin. I just wanted to bring this up since you posted the recipe.

There's nothing wrong with this high of a percentage. I made a batch like this and use it as a kitchen soap. But a friend of my nephew's loves this soap as a body bar so it comes down to personal preference.

I'm looking forward to seeing the pics.

 

[dcornett]

Congratulations becka! I imagine your soap is beautiful, nothing wrong with plain soaps . Welcome to the forum...and the addiction!

 

[ikindred]

Congrats on your first batch! Don't worry about it being plain....I think we all made a plain batch at least the first couple of times. Warning: You are going to be totally addicted now!

 

[kelleyaynn]

Welcome and congratulations on your first batch!

Plain is good. My soaps are all plain, and I LOVE them!!!!

 

[judymoody]

Congratulations! You never forget your first batch.

 

[Lynnz]

Congratulations! You never forget your first batch.

So so true :0)

 

[BakingNana]

Adding my congrats!!! I love sunflower and shea in soap. I bet with that much coconut oil the soap has a fabulous lather. I'll bet it smells wonderful, too! No turning back now....

 

[Relle]

Congratulations, its a nice surprise when you cut your first soap ,but then again, its a nice surprise cutting any soap batch.
Now all we need is piccies.

Relle.

 

[cp chick]

Congrats! Isn't it nice when your first batch turns out well? Luckily mine did too, and it started this great addiction. And don't worry about plain bars of soap. Mine are all plain as well, but they cleanse and lather well, and there are no complaints from my friends and family. As long as you like them, then you're a success!! Welcome

 

[Dragonkaz]

Congratulations ... it's a wonderful feeling when you've made that first batch and had those first experiences ... and maybe like me are left wondering why I hadn't done this sooner!

Here's to you loving the next 1,000+ batches just as much as this one!

 

[becka_pecka]

Awww... thank you all for the lovely replies I am very happy to have started making soap, it's just a great hobby and the money spent on supplies actually goes towards something very useful.

Hazel, I have seen this mentioned quite a lot about having a lot of coconut oil can be drying to the skin. I'll tell you why there is that much, it's because thats what came with my soaping kit I wasn't really sure on recipes and so thought my best bet was to buy ingredients pre-measured, so that for my 2nd batch I'm confident in what to buy.

I will probably take your advice and lessen the coconut oil in my 2nd batch...

I also took everyone's advice in running the recipe through a lye calculator, in which the calculator told me to put more water in than what the recipe I was using said to, I super-fatted 5%. I'm also more confident now that I understand lye calculators